Re: Re : perennials true from seed

You can raise many fine perennials from seed and have them come true to 
type-but one must keep in mind that plant propagation falls into two general 
categories.

Seed raised plants and those that are clones.

The best way to find out if the plant that you want to raise from seed will 
come true is to find out if it is normally propagated from seed or is 
negatively propagated.

If the plant is normally propagated from seed-then we need to know if it is a 
hybrid selection or if it has been breed to be true.

If it is a hybrid-then the seed that we collect from the plants as a general 
principle will not be like the parents.  

If the plants are the result of selective breeding -- if we keep the same 
plants together and to not allow "outcrossing" ( cross pollinating with other 
forms or species) then the seed we collect should come true to type.

All species and subspecies should come true from seed.

Here is a list of perennials that are seed raised: of coarse this is only a 
small sample.

Echinacea - many diffrent forms.
Delphiniums - many diffrent forms
Digitalis X mertonensis plus many diffrent forms of ambigue and ferruginea
Dianthus - several including Zing Rose
Gaillardia-many diffrent forms.
Guem - a number of diffrent one, also a lot of cloned forms too
Heuchera sanguinea -- a few diffrent types including 'white cloud' and a 
number of the red types.  Also H. americana 'Palace Purple' -- but weed out 
all the off types.
Iberis 'Snow flake and Sweetheart' plus others-but there are many clones too.
Lavendula 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead' strains.
Lychnis- a number of different ones including X haageana and coronaria types. 
Plus a few like flos-jovis 'Peggy and 'nana' Also the X arkwrightii tend to 
come pretty true.
Lupines-many to choose from best are the 'Russell' selections and the 
'gallery' selections.
Malva 'Zebrina'
Mimulus 'Red Emperor'
Monarda 'Panorama Red shades' have to start with the red shade selection 
already not with a general color mix.
Myosotis- a number of diffrent ones
Papaver- a number of diffrent selections of orientale come true from seed 
including 'Brilliant' 'Allegro' Royal Wedding' prince von Oranien'
Penstemon grandiflora 'Husker red' -- weed out any off types (green leaves)
Physostegia 'Snow Crown' plus 'Rosea'
Platycodon a number of diffrent forms.
Potentilla- a number but many clones too and some mixed colors.
Primula is a complex group of plants-you will have to do some research to 
find out if the one you want is a seed raised plant that comes true or a mix 
or a clone.
Pulsatilla. -there are a number of seed raised strains that come true like 
'Rote Glocke and 'Blau Glocke' but most plants are from mixed selections- 
Rudbeckia- a number of diffrent strains
Salvia-many seed strains including the 'SUPERBA' crosses.
Scabiosa - many strains, plus a few mixes.
Tricyrtis 'Miyazaki hybrid'
Trollius 'Gold Queen and 'Orange globe'
Verbascum - many, plus a few mixes.
Veronica spicata has a number of seed raised strains
Viola-many.

This is a very short list-but the one thing I like about rasing perennials 
from seed is the diffrent varieties of plants you can get-keep the best and 
propagate them your self and compost those that you do not like.

Paul

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